Sled.



No. 805,279. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

G. R. FORWARD. I

SLED.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23, 1905.

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SLED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed March 23, 1905. Serial No 251,651.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. FORWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sleds, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improved sled, comprehending specifically a construction by which the sled is adapted for folding into small compass for convenience in storage or transportation. i

The main object of the invention is the production of a sled having runners movably connected with the body portion and adapted to be folded therebeneath when desired.

The invention consists in certain details of structure and combination of the parts, to be described in the following specification with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1. is a side elevation of my improved sled. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, the runners being shown in elevated or normal position. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the runners being shown in folded position. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the knees pivotally connecting the runners with the body.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference-numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, my improved sled comprises a body 1 and runners 2, both of which parts may be of any usual or preferred construction.

My invention consists in pivotally connecting runners 2 with the body 1, so that the former may be folded against the latter. To attain this result, I provide knees 3, of suitable material, having a body portion 4 and a reduced arm 5, projecting at an acute angle from the upper end of the body portion. '1 he knees, of which there are preferably two for each runner, are pivotally supported in ears 6, depending from castings 7, secured beneath the body of the sled, with the ears adj acent the side edges of said body. The body portion 4 is provided on its lower end with a horizontal flange 8, projecting laterall beyond the side edges of the runner and with a web 9 secured to the inner longitudinal edge of the body and projecting laterallybeyond the same, the free end of the web projecting below the flange 8, as at 10. The arm 5 of the knee is secured at its extreme end beneath the upper rail 11 of the runner, the arm adjacent said connection being recessed at 12 torec'eive and engage a plate 13, secured on the under side of the body when the runners are in normal position. The lower end of the knee-body 4 engages the lower rail 14 of the sled-runner, the flanges 8 resting upon the upper surface of said rail and secured thereto by bolts 15, the projecting portion 10 of the web 9 bearing against the outer surface of the rail 14 and secured thereto by a bolt 16, all as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In normal position the rails 11 and 14 of the runners arein vertical alinement with the body portion of the knee, arranged practically vertically with relation to the sled-body. To maintain the parts in this position, I provide a bolt 17, arranged to project through I the sled-body and through the arm 5 of the knee, preferably passing through the plate 13 and the recess 12 in said arm. As a further brace for securing the runners when in normal position against accidental folding movement I provide a transverse rod 18, tenoned at the respective ends-to fit suitable openings in the runner-rails, being secured in place by nuts engaging said tenoned ends beyond the rails, though, if preferred, said rod may be simply tenoned on its ends to fit suitable mortises within the rails without other securing means, as the purpose of this rod is simply to act as a brace against inward movement of the runners.

In folding the runners the bolts 17 are removed, the rod is withdrawn from its mortises, and one runner folded beneath the sledbody until its lower rail 14 is practically in contact with the lower side of of said body. The other runner is then similarly folded until its rail 14 is in contact with the runner first folded, when the runners assume the position shown in Fig. 3, greatly reducing the space normally occupied by the sled for convenience in storage or shipment.

It will be noted that the runners of my improved sled are supported wholly from the knees and that the latter have a pivotal connection with the sled-body, thus enabling me to materially strengthen the sled construction by forming the knees of metal of any desired sectional dimensions.

. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A sled comprising a body portion, runners having upper and lower rails, and knees connecting said runners and. body portion, each of said knees comprising a body mem- IIO her secured at its'lower end to the lower rail, said body member being terminally provided with a flange to engage the upper surface of the rail and with a web to engage the outer surface of the rail, and an arm projecting laterally from the upper end of the body portion and connected to the upper rail of the runner, said knees being pivotally connected to the body portion at the junction of their arm and body member.

2. A sled comprising a body portion, reinforcing-plates secured to the bottom adja cent the side edges, runners including upper and lower rails and knees connecting the runners and body portion, said knees comprising a main body engaging the lower rail of the runner and pivotally connected at its upper end to the sled-body, an arm projecting laterally from the upper end of the kneebody and terminally secured at its outer end to the upper rail of the runner, said arm be ing recessed intermediate its ends to wholly receive the reinforcing-plate secured to the sled-body.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' CHARLES R. FORWARD.

Witnesses JANE ALDRICH, GEo. W. EISENHART. 

